Myths and truths about Eye Careby Edward Kondrot, MDThe more people know about the myths and truth about eye care, the better prepared they will be to care for their eyes.

About 14 million Americans experience some form of visual impairment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While many people experience eye conditions, roughly 80 percent can be addressed with refractive correction. When it comes to eye care, many people are unclear as to whether what they hear is a myth or the reality. The more people know about the myths and truth about eye care, the better prepared they will be to care for their eyes.read in detail

Halloween OTC lenses can damage eyes...patient shares story of vision lossClaims such as ”one size fits all,” and ”No need to see an eye specialist” are false advertising.

As Halloween approaches, you may be thinking about adding zebra-striped or glow-in-the-dark decorative contact lenses or maybe the newest fad, circle lenses to complete your costume. But do you know the risks associated with these lenses? Obtaining decorative lenses without a prescription is dangerous and illegal.read in detail

Post Trauma Vision Syndrome…The Plight of the Walking Woundedby Mary W. VanHoyWhile he still has that boyish grin and football player physique, his world has spun into chaos after suffering a closed head injury from an IED, improvised explosive device.

After John’s return from Iraq, life has just not been the same. While he still has that boyish grin and football player physique, his world has spun into chaos after suffering a closed head injury from an IED, improvised explosive device. Fortunately, he was not hit directly but the impact of the explosion caused concussive-like effects to his brain.read in detail

Making UPby Harvey Moscot, ODThe most serious problem related to the application of eye makeup is injury to the cornea.

Cosmetics such as mascara, eyeliner, and concealer are among the leading foreign objects that enter a female’s eyes.

According to Dr. Harvey Moscot of Moscot Eyewear and Eyecare since 1915, The most serious problem related to the application of eye makeup is injury to the cornea (the clear surface in the front of the eye) from either scratching the eye with a fingernail or eyeliner device.read in detail

Waterfall… a beautiful sight but not when it is on your eyeby Bradley J. Katz, MD, PhDPatients with severe cataract sometimes describe their vision as if they are looking through a waterfall.

The most commonly performed surgery in the United States is cataract surgery. Several million individuals undergo cataract surgery each year. At the same time, cataract remains the number one cause of blindness in the world because so many people lack access to adequate care.
The human eye has a lens, just as a camera does. It sits right behind the iris, the colored part of the eye. The lens focuses images onto the retina, where the image is transformed into an electrical signal that can be transmitted to and interpreted by the brain. When we are born, the lens is completely clear and colorless.read in detail

Giving sight to the blind becoming an eye donorby Michel J. Hodkin, MDMore than 90 percent of cornea transplants are successful in improving vision for the recipient.

In 1905, Dr. Eduard Zirm successfully transplanted cornea tissue, and it remains the most frequently transplanted part of the human body today. The number of cornea transplants performed each year in the U.S. is slightly more than the combined total—about 30,000—of all organ transplants including kidney, liver, heart, lung, and others. More than 90 percent of cornea transplants are successful in improving vision for the recipient.read in detail

Glaucoma, a sneaky diseaseby Bradley J. Katz, MD, PhDGlaucoma is one of the diseases that can damage your optic nerve. Even though there may be nothing wrong with your eye or your brain, if your eye cannot send images to your brain through a broken optic nerve, you cannot see clearly.

When explaining eye problems to my patients, I often use the analogy of a camera or camcorder because the eye has many similarities. Our eyes have a lens, a shutter (the eyelid) and an aperture (the iris and pupil). You can also think of your brain as the TV monitor that you use to watch the pictures that are taken by your eyes. The optic nerve is the cable that connects your eye to your brain.read in detail

New Technology may eliminate Bi-Focalsby John S. Jarstad, MDQuestion: “I’ve heard recently about new technology that allows people over age 40 to get rid of bifocals with an implantable bifocal or trifocal lens. Is that possible?
Answer: What you are referring to is the latest development in ophthalmology - presbyopic lens exchange or refractive lensectomy. read in detail

Dry Eyes Can Increase with AGEby John S. Jarstad, MDDry eyes are tired, red, burning, dry feeling eyes that often feel like sand or gravel under the eyelids.

“Recently I underwent LASIK (Laser corrective eye surgery) to achieve less dependence on glasses and contact lenses, now my eye surgeon tells me I have dry eyes. Is there any treatment for this?”

Dry eye syndrome or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a very common condition affecting about 25% of the normal population and increases with age. Patients who have undergone laser corrective eye surgery frequently have a temporary increase in dry eye symptoms, however the cause of the increase isn’t usually due to corrective eye surgery.read in detail

Macular Degeneration...learn to protect your visionby Stephen G. Schwartz, MDMost likely, this disease will become even more common with the first wave of the “baby boomers” turning 60 this year

Despite the many advances in the care of eye diseases, age-related macular degeneration remains the leading cause of permanent vision loss among the elderly in the United States. Most likely, this disease will become even more common with the first wave of the “baby boomers” turning 60 this year.read in detail

Ask your Eye Surgeonby John S. Jarstad, MDMy doctor tells me I have “dandruff of the eyelids.” Is this a serious condition?.

Blepharitis or dandruff of the eyelids is one of the most common conditions seen by your ophthalmologist. It can affect a person of any age and can become a chronic or recurrent affliction leading to symptoms of red, itchy, burning and teary eyes. It often develops in warmer months or during seasonal changes of temperature and humidity...read in detail

Are You A Candidate For Lasik... by Michel J. Hodkin, MD
What is new with LASIK is the increased precision in which the prescription is measured and corrected. Adaptive optics, a technology first used to correct the optics in telescopes, is now applied to LASIK surgery. A device called an aberrometer is used to measure each patient's individual wavefront (like an eye "fingerprint"), and this information is used to control the laser's treatment. The result is potentially better night vision, contrast sensitivity, and overall precision compared to standard LASIK. However, the final outcome is still determined by the patient's healing response to surgery. One of the systems that is used to perform these customized treatments is called "CustomVue" by the VISX laser company...
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